The Right Small Appliance For You
By: Clyde Sloan

Don't let their name fool you. Small appliances can do a multitude of tasks. Take the tears out of chopping onions with a food processor or mini-chopper, mix bread dough with your food processor, make fresh sauces in the blender - the list could go on forever. How do you shop for small appliances? Price, brand, ease of use, warranty, ease of maintenance? All of these are important for sure. But the number one consideration should be what works best for you. But always buy the most appliance that you can afford, and those that will multi-task are always your best solution. It?s like hiring a maid who does dishes, cleans the sink, mops the floors, shines the wash basin, cleans the toilet, the tub, makes the bed, vacuums the rugs, and oh ya, one who does windows is a bonus.

Things to consider when buying small appliances:

Determine your cooking needs and wants ? both current and future. Is your family growing or growing up and moving out? Are you interested in increasing your culinary endeavors? Are you wishing to simplify and reduce time in the kitchen?

Evaluate your kitchen counter space, or space where you can keep these appliances. Where are you going to put all those neat new appliances?

Check the height of the appliance compared to the height of your cabinets. Some appliances that mount under the cabinet are available.

Decide what color appliance you prefer.

What style or look do you want? Modern or retro?

Determine the appliance capacity needed. The number of speeds and settings on an appliance usually increases with the size of the machine. Those who have large families or like to entertain may choose to buy larger appliances.

Corded or cordless appliances. It's your choice in many cases. Corded models offer constant power; cordless gives you portability but may also need constant recharging depending on the amount of usage.

Read the package before you buy to see if the appliance does everything that you want it to.

Check you appliance for clean ability; is it easy to clean, or hard? Are there going to be a lot of small parts that could get lost during this process?

Start by thinking of the needs of those who will be working in the kitchen, from their physical requirements to the types of food they will be preparing. Will the kids involved, or will it be adults only. Some households will have very tall or very short cooks. Still others will be using many small appliances to assist with preparation. Think about keeping your options flexible, as needs may very well change over time. The kitchen is the most interactive room in the house. People, work surfaces, appliances and tools all working together everyday to produce meals that not only taste good, but will leave memories for your family and friends to cherish for a lifetime. No room in the home is more important than the kitchen, and no tools are more important than the appliances that man it.